Log turner for portable sawmills



Nov. 21, 1950 F. DANZER 2,530,683

LOG TURNER FOR PORTABLE SAWMILLS Filed March 21, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FRANK DANZER 34 Nov. 21, 1950 F. DANZER LOG TURNER FOR PORTABLE SAWMILLS Filed March 21, 1947 2 Sheets- Z ID IFU I Sheet 2 FIG? gvwa/wtom,

FRANK DANZER whom s Patented Nov. 21, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LOG TURNER FOR PORTABLE SAWMILLS Frank Danzer, Rochester, Wash.

Application March 21, 1947, Serial No. 736,309

3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a log-turner for portable sawmills.

An object of the invention is the construction of a novel log-turner of the friction type, especial- 1y designed for portable sawmills.

Another object of the invention is the construction of an economical log-turner which is comparatively inexpensive to manufacture and to install.

A still further object of the invention is the construction of an efficient log-turner in which the nigger frame can be tilted to free it entirely from a log carried by the log-carrying frame of the sawmill.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention com rises certain novel constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts as will be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of an apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention, while Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the same.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3 3, Fig. 7, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4, Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5, Fig. 1, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on line B6, Fig. 3, and looking in the direction of the arrows. 1

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on line 'l--'i, Fig. 3, and looking in the direction oi the arrows.

Referring to the drawings, in which the preferred embodiment of this invention is illustrated, l designates a support, which may be a floor of a building or a floor or support of any kind. The support is provided with a large opening 2 for receiving the casing 3. Casing 3 is secured to, or forms a part of, the flat plate-like cover 4. Cover 4 is hingedly mounted on rod 5, which rod is carried by brackets 6. 6. The cover 4 is provided with a longitudinally extending slot 1 and through which the nigger frame 8 extends. The nigger frame 8 comprises two flat bars 8, 9 that are held in spaced position by pins IE, or like means. Pivoted points or teeth I l are mounted within the nigger frame 8, said teeth H beng pivotally supported at I2 on said frame. Stop plates l3 are secured across the nigger frame directly under the teeth ll. Therefore, the teeth cannot have on the frame a further downward movement than their horizontal position, because in their horizontal position they will be resting upon said stop plates l3. These teeth are, therefore, firmly mounted upon the nigger frame for engaging and turning the log it which is mounted on the carriage [5.

A bearing roller I6 is mounted on top of the cover A and normally bears against the back of the nigger frame 8, Fig. 3. A second bearing roller ii is mounted in the bottom of casing 3 and bears against the front of the nigger frame 8. Therefore, the frame is admirably mounted to slide within the casing 3.

When the operator desires to remove the nigger frame 3 and its teeth from contact with the log M, all he has to do is to grasp the upper portion of the nigger frame 8 and swing it away from the log, since this operation is accomplished by reason of the cover a being hinged, as hereinbefore described.

To operate the nigger frame 8, a cable I8 is secured at 19 (Fig. 3) to the lower end of the nigger frame 8. The cable I8 passes over primary pulley 2%), within casing 3, and then over the auxiliary pulley 21. Then the cable passes out through a suitable aperture (not shown) in the casing 3, to the drum 22, whereon it is wound and unwound. Drum 22 is mounted on the drumshaft 23, Fig. 5. Drum-shaft 23 is provided with a fixed friction wheel 24. The saw-shaft 25, Fig. 5, is provided with a friction member 28. The saw-shaft is not only provided with the saw 21, but also with a belt-wheel 23. Suitable power is applied to belt-wheel 28 for rotating shaft 25.

When the operator wishes to turn log l4, he presses down on foot pedal 29, which is connected at 30 to the pedal links 3|. Pedal links 3| are pivotally supported upon the primary supports 32, Fig. 1. This pressing downwardly upon links 3| will move vertical links 33 upward, which will lift shaft-carrying links 34, which links 34 are mounted at the outer ends upon auxiliary supports 35. This pressing-down action on pedal 29 results in the friction wheel 24 being brought. into contact with friction member 26. As friction member 26 is rotating, this will result in friction wheel 24 revolving drum-shaft 23, resulting in the cable l8 being wound upon drum 22, and this will cause the nigger frame 8 to be lifted, which in turn moves the point or points upward that engages the log [4, causing the log to be turned upon the carriage l5. Upon the operator removing pressure from the pedal 29, the friction wheel 24 will fall away from the friction member 25, which together with the weight of the nigger frame, will cause the nigger frame to move downward within the casing 3 to its normal position. The operation need only be repeated when it is desired to turn the log.

It is to be understood that the primary supports 32 and the auxiliary supports 35 are secured to the saw-carrying frame 36.

While I have described the preferred embodiment of my invention and illustrated the same in the accompanying drawings, certain minor changes or alterations may appear to one skilled in the art to which this invention relates during the extensive manufacture of the same, and I, therefore, reserve the right to make such changes or alterations as shall fairly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a support, said support provided with an elongated opening, a hinged cover on said support and extending over said opening, a casing movably mounted in said opening and secured to said hinged cover, a nigger frame provided with a lower end and with teeth slidably mounted in said casing, and power means connected to the lower end of said nigger frame for sliding said nigger frame within said casing.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, the

a roller on said cover bearing against said nigger frame, a roller in the bottom of said casing and bearing against said nigger frame, and manually-controlled means connected to the lower end of said nigger frame for moving the same upwardly.

3. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a support, said support provided with an elongated opening, of a cover hingedly mounted at its inner end upon said support and normally lying flat on said support over said opening, said elongated opening extending beyond the outer end of said cover, said cover provided with a fixed casing, said casing extending down into said opening, and being adapted to move in said opening when said cover is moved or hinged, said cover provided with an opening registering with the interior of said casing, said cover provided with a roller on its top surface and contiguous to the opening in said cover, said casing provided with an opening in its bottom and with a roller in said casing contiguous to said last-mentioned opening, a nigger frame provided with teeth slidably mounted in said opening of said casing and said opening in the cover and normally engaging said rollers, and power means connected to said nigger frame for sliding said nigger frame within said casing.

FRANK DANZER.

REFERENCES CITED Elie following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 163,398 Orm May 18, 1875 453,864 Hill June 9, 1891 617,846 Wilkin Jan. 17, 1899 739,046 Wilkin Sept. 15, 1903 886,918 Arthur May 5, 1908 1,764,817 Winters June 17, 1930 

